Ghana's president makes emergency landing in thunderstorm

ACCRA, Ghana (AP) — Ghana's army says a thunderstorm forced a helicopter carrying the president and his wife to make an emergency landing about 250 kilometers (155 miles) north of the capital.

A statement issued by Ghana Armed Forces said the helicopter transporting President John Dramani Mahama and his wife, Lordina Mahama, landed safely Friday night in an open field in the southern Ashanti region after "a sudden storm with high winds closed in."

The landing occurred in Apatrampa, a suburb of the regional capital, Kumasi.

The statement described the landing as "precautionary" and said no one was injured.

The couple was returning from a funeral in Sunyani. Army officers evacuated the couple to Kumasi, and they were later flown to the capital, Accra.